And Life Goes On
by Manyilla
Summary: The usual: Inuyasha makes Kagome madder than ever, and she decides to go home. But she also decides that it's time to learn a bit more than her, she admits it, half-useless bow and stays at the mayhem that is her cousins' house for a while...Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Ranma.
1. Chapter 1

**And Life Goes On, Chapter 1: Inuyasha's Stupidity and Kagome's Decision**

"FWARGH!" Kagome screamed eloquently. "SIT! Sit sit sit Sit Sit SIT **SIT**!"

There was a noise not unlike the solid and repetitive _thunk-thunk_ of a truck driving down a bumpy, pot-holed road before one final, delicious _WHAM! _filled her ears.

The hanyou at her feet, on the other hand, was tasting the disgusting flavor of forest dirt and decomposing leaves.

Not far away, a monk, a demon-slayer, a two-tailed cat, and a small kitsune were watching the proceedings with looks of resignation and scant sympathy. Because, really…

"You think he would have learned by now," the kitsune said from his perch on the monk's shoulder.

The monk sighed seriously, meanwhile putting an arm around the demon-slayer and drawing her closer. "Indeed. It seems unlikely that the limits of his density will ever cease to astound."

He was rewarded with a red handprint from Sango as she shrugged his arm off her shoulders, highly aware that his hand had been curling around her neck and down towards her chest. "I could name another guy who fits that statement, too, you perverted hypocrite!" she told him angrily. And she probably would have continued if not for another barrage of sits from Kagome that made them all wince.

And then they all flinched when a steaming Kagome stomped her way towards them. "I'M GOING HOME! I'LL BE THERE FOR A WHILE, AND DON'T YOU DARE COME AND GET ME OR ELSE I'LL _SIT_" – _BANG_ – "YOU SIX FEET UNDER, YOU **JERK!**"

"Nnnnrghhh…." came the inarticulate reply from the twitching heap of red fire rat fur and white hair.

"Ka…Kagome?" Shippo asked tentatively, still clinging to Miroku's shoulder.

"Yes, Shippo?" Kagome didn't stop walking, far too furious to look at him as they followed her towards Kaede's village.

"When…when will you come back?"

"I'm sorry, guys," she sighed, addressing all of them. "I think I'll be gone for a few weeks. I just…"

"It's okay, Lady Kagome," Miroku reassured her. "We understand. And we could use a break, too, I believe."

"He's right," Sango added as she hefted her giant boomerang. "We all have things we need to attend to. I need to tune up my boomerang and my sword at my village."

"And sleep sounds wonderful right now," Miroku said wistfully, catching on to Sango's actually quite valid point. He had been the one to do most of the running alongside Inuyasha while the ladies and kit rode on Kilala. And while he knew that Inuyasha hadn't been sprinting, he pretty much had been most of the time. He may have been the fittest human in the group, but he was just that: human, and Inuyasha seemed to forget it from time to time.

Like now, for instance. Inuyasha wished to press on and Miroku knew that all the humans were weary. Then again, Miroku was fairly certain that Inuyasha was tired, too. He didn't know how much sleep half-demons needed, but he was certain that it was more than a few hours a week, especially if he was running around slaying demons with a giant sword 'twenty-four seven,' as Kagome would put it. Yes. They all needed that break he had mentioned, even more than they thought.

"Mrow," Kilala added in agreement.

Shippo just looked at everyone with teary eyes, not voicing anything against that statement. As the youngest and therefore second-most protected member of the group, he didn't need the rest. On the other hand, he was also fairly astute, and therefore far more understanding than a certain hanyou.

"Thanks, guys," Kagome said gratefully as they reached the threshold to the old priestess' hut. "Kaede!"

"What is it, child? Back so soon?" Kaede walked towards them while mixing something in a bowl that sat in the crook of her arm. "I thought ye would take a few days at least to reach the village, yet hardly any time has passed." She checked the sun again.

"Actually, there's been a change in plans, Kaede," Kagome explained, her voice hardening. "Inuyash-" Her fists clenched by her side. "I'm going home for a few weeks. I just came back to ask you if there was anything you-"

"For _a few weeks?_" came a very cranky voice by the door.

Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kilala watched as Kagome took a deep, steady breath.

"Yes, Inuyasha. A few weeks. I have stuff I need to do there, too, you know."

Inuyasha must have heard the lightning in her voice because his ears went flat for a moment, but then he chose to ignore it, perking them up again with an arrogant flair. He made sure to cross his arms and give himself a casual, I'm-in-charge-here-and-YOU'RE-the-underdog image despite the fact that he was using the door as a crutch for his back – which was aching, by the way. Why the hell did she sit him like that! "Feh! You ain't going home for a few weeks, wench! We have jewel shards to find! Naraku's not gonna sit around for a month doing nothing, you know!"

"I won't be gone for a month," Kagome said through gritted teeth, still not turning around to face him. "I said I'll be gone for a few weeks. And I am well aware that Naraku will be active, but we did just give him a pretty nasty blow. He's not going to just pop up with yet another nefarious plot and attack us again!"

"Kagome's right, Inuyasha," Miroku spoke up, hoping to head off a second painful argument. "We dealt him a harsh blow, and he will need to recover."

"But then this is the perfect moment to strike him!" Inuyasha argued back. "He's weak!"

"So are we, Inuyasha. We need time to recuperate."

"No, we don't!" he snarled. "We are not weak!"

Sango frowned. "Inuyasha, if we get into another fight with Naraku, if we can even find him since he runs and hides whenever we've had a major battle, I can't promise that my weapons will hold. Miroku's sutras and other spiritual attacks have only been half as effective lately-"

"Hey!" the offended monk protested.

"You know it's true, monk. Kilala and Shippo need to rest periodically, too. And just look at Kagome!"

The half-dog demon ran a critical eye over her. She looked fine to him. Well enough to have a fight with him, sit him halfway to hell (at this rate, Kikyo wouldn't have to do anything but jump in after him through the hole his body made) and then stand there like a goddess of fury, her stance as strong as the trunk of the Goshinboku. What was Sango talking about?

"If we continue to run ourselves down in search of Naraku while he waits and gets stronger, we're not going to be able to defeat him."

Inuyasha twisted his head, regarding them all with one golden eye. "Fine, then. You weaklings rest here while I go and actually try to kill that bastard!" he sneered at them, about to leave.

That was the last straw and he knew it when Kagome flipped around. Adrenaline allowed her to ignore the dull stab from the half-healed gash in her side that she had gotten courtesy of a wayward sword as well as the number of small cuts and bruises all over her body from harsh meetings with various pointy objects or the ground in order to escape said pointy objects.

"**InuyashaSITBOY!"**

_Whump._

"YOU **JERK!** I CAN'T **BELIEVE** YOU! WE HAVE JUST SPENT THE PAST FEW **MONTHS** CHASING NARAKU AND YOU HAVE THE **GALL** TO ACCUSE **US** OF **SLACKING?**"

By now her voice had risen to a shriek, making everyone present cover their ears and Shippo and Kilala scamper away from the enraged girl. Inuyasha was out of luck, the spell only allowing him to flatten his ears in vain.

"I-"

"**SIT!"**

_Oompf._

"Ooowww…"

"THREE WEEKS! I WILL BE GONE FOR THREE WEEKS! WE WILL REST FOR THREE WEEKS! **UNDERSTAND?**"

Miroku, Sango, and Shippo cringed at Inuyasha's mumbled reply.

"Yeah, yeah, you're weak and feeble, so you're gonna prance home and we're all gonna sit here for weeks doing nothin' while we wait for you."

"**SIT! SIT SIT SIT SIT **_**SIT!**_**"**

…_Augh!_, Inuyasha thought, fingers and feet twitching. _Right…on the edge…of the step!_

Kagome snatched her bag. "Goodbye, everyone. I'll see you _all_ in three weeks." Her tone was as cold as frost and made it clear that the 'all' included Inuyasha. Exclusively.

"Good-bye, Lady Kagome," Miroku replied courteously. Sango merely glared down at the immobile hanyou who had broken through Kaede's floor. "Enjoy your time at your home."

Deeming it safe enough since she hadn't bitten off Miroku's head, Shippo called after her cheerfully, "Bye, Kagome!"

A wave was their only answer.

**Well, I hope you like this so far. Crummy title, I know, and not much plot or action in this chapter that really should be called a prologue, but hey, it was pretty fun to write.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the late update; I picked a bad time to start a story, because I was on vacation for two weeks pretty much right afterward. Vacation = no writing. Simple math that I apparently do not understand.**

**Thanks to all readers and a special thanks to all reviewers!**

** AnimeFreakAmanda – Actually, there will be several pairings. I'm sticking with the conventional Kag&Inu and Akane&Ranma, and there will be a number of one-sided pairings like Akane&Ryoga since this is a romance fic. I almost made the second genre humor, too. Then I chickened out and decided that I didn't want people to click on the story for the sake of a laugh and then be disappointed by a lack of funniness, so I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the humor I threw in there :)**

**And now, for the Feature Presentation:**

**And Life Goes On, Chapter 2: Kagome's Trip and Higurashi-san's Letter**

"He called me weak," Kagome mumbled into her pink pillow.

"Mrow," Buyo said in response, little sympathy in his tone as he tried to get her attention.

The moment she had gotten home, Kagome had headed straight for the bathroom, barely greeting her grandfather as he swept the shrine. Her mother had taken one look at her and, after a quick hug that put enough pressure on her injuries to make her wince, started preparing the bathtub. Through her fury, Kagome had managed to smile at her and return the hug, thanking her lucky stars that she had such a wonderful and understanding mother.

Now, that anger was almost gone, seeming to have drained away with the bathwater, but she could still feel a tiny prick of irritation and, more importantly, indignation.

"He called me _weak_," she said again, this time with more feeling. "I am _not_ weak! I have to be one of the fittest people in my class! They don't go climbing out of wells and running around Japan all the time! How can he call me _weak?_"

_How could he blame me and call me the weak link in the group?_ she thought morosely, laying her head back down on the pillow. Her thoughts churned and tumbled one over the other, not seeming to be able to move off of the hated accusation that she tried to escape and her pride tried to deny.

Honestly…the more she thought about it…

She _was_ very fit. She was decent at running and carried her own weight, no matter how heavy her backpack was. She had become a great archer, able to hit distant targets and channel her purple priestess energy through the arrow tips at will.

But…It went without saying that nobody in their group was as strong as Inuyasha. Kagome was convinced that if Miroku lived in her era, he could have been a cross-country star, able as he was to run long distances at pretty considerable speeds. He also knew exactly how to handle his staff, whether spiritually or physically, and if push came to shove, he had a very powerful curse at his disposal which, while he would be better off in the long run without it, was undeniably helpful in half of their battles.

She couldn't even begin to compete with Sango. While the talented demonslayer was a human girl like Kagome, she was still a _talented demonslayer_. Kagome had seen more than enough demons fall under her gigantic boomerang, and if she lost her primary weapon, she was just as competent with her sword, and if she lost that as well, as she had in some of the more desperate battles, she could still stand up against the demons for a little while longer with her hands. She was a powerful member of the group, well able to take care of herself and help the others. Yet despite that, Kilala constantly had her back, matching her mistress's battle moves perfectly with a high level of proficiency of her own.

Kagome struggled to keep the tears back as she came to another stinging realization that even Shippo was more useful in a fight than her! His foxfire had been becoming more effective as of late, growing in power and range the more he used it, and his top wasn't too shabby, either. And if everything was going downhill into the depths of Mariana's Trench, he at least had the means to get away or hide himself using his fox magic. He was a member of the 'small demon world,' as he had called it, and that membership came with a bag of tricks and know-how on evading much larger and malevolent demons.

And what was she a member of? Humans' modern society, with all of its technology and conveniences and, to put it bluntly, luxuries. Life was nowhere near as hard in her time as it was in the Sengoku Jidai. She may have been strong here, but it was a different story back there.

Who was always the person to freeze up when some unexpected demon appeared out of the woodwork, not able to react so quickly? Who was the one who always stood in the back of the fight while the others leapt forward, incapable of fighting? Wasn't she the person who always became the hostage? Wasn't she always the one who needed to be rescued? Who else…always needed protection?

Kagome groaned into her pillow.

"Kagome! It's dinnertime! Could you get Sota?" her mother's voice called from downstairs.

"Sure, mom!" she called back, reluctantly raising herself out of her bed and accidentally making Buyo fall off it with a yowl. "Sorry, Buyo."

"_Hssss."_

"Hey! Eek!"

_Great_, Kagome thought as she went to Sota's closed door. _I can't even get away unscathed from the fat family CAT_.

"Sota!"

"…_gonna catch 'em all, cause he's-"_

"SOTA!"

Sota continued singing to the blaring theme song, completely oblivious to his sister.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. "SOTA!"

"_-He's gonna catch them all, cause he's Danny-"_

"SOTA!" Kagome gave up, ignoring the meaning of the closed door, and intruded on the young boy's private lair. **"SOTA!"**

"_-'CAUSE HE'S, DANNY PHANTOM!_ Whoa, sis!_"_

…_Danny Phantom!_ the song finished.

"What are you doing in my room?!"

"What are you doing watching badly drawn American cartoons…?"

"Hey! The drawing may not be fantastic, but Danny Phantom is an awesome show!" Sota protested as he paused the recording.

"Okay," Kagome said, eyeing the frozen picture of the ghostly hero. "Mom wants me to tell you that dinner's ready." _And I still don't understand your infatuation with that show_, she added silently. If he heard her, they would be in an argument all evening long about how good/bad Danny Phantom was. Then he'd go off about how she 'never really watched Danny Phantom' and therefore couldn't 'truly understand or appreciate' the tv show.

But she had done her research. She had looked up what it was about on the Internet once, and she still wasn't enamored with the show. It wasn't as terrible as she had first thought, but it was fairly silly with its ridiculous characters and stupid, fantasized plots. The one where the Fenton siblings had had to fight each other had struck home in particular, because it just hadn't done any justice to the real-life and emotionally heart-wrenching situation that her best friend Sango experienced every day.

And the drawings weren't up to standard, either; they were downright ugly in most cases.

With one last look at the ghostboy frozen on Sota's small tv screen, Kagome sighed and began heading downstairs. Yes, she now knew exactly what the show was about. It was another one of those, 'Kid is a wimp. Kid gains powers in an accident. Kid becomes a hero,' storylines. An unbelievably common scenario that she had long grown tired of seeing.

But for just one tiny split second, she wished it was so common that it would happen in the real world, to her.

"Kagome, honey, would you please put the rice on the table?"

She mulled over the idea, responding automatically to the requests at the table.

She really did kind of qualify as a…well, not quite a wimp because she had the courage to stand up and fight; she just didn't have the ability to be very helpful in those situations.

"Pass the butter, Kagome?"

Her bow and arrows were good for long distances, not for fighting enemies that were a couple paces away from her.

"Kagome, be a dear and give your old grandfather the pepper, hmm? I could tell you a story or two about what eating it does to nasty spirits trying to take over you soul…"

She was a powerful, but untrained, subpar priestess who could only willingly channel her energy through her arrows.

"Aww, grandpa, you've already told us this story, right Kagome?"

"Mm-hmm…"

"Now Sota, show him some respect and let him continue," Higurashi-san said, smiling, yet sending a furtive wink in her son's direction that said, _I won't blame you if you don't pay him attention_.

The moment an enemy got into close range, _she was helpless_. That was the bottom line.

She didn't want to be _helpless_ anymore. Her thoughts from earlier sprang back: she didn't want to always be the one who had to be _protected_.

"How do you like your meal, Kagome?"

"Huh? Oh, it's delicious, mom!" She ate it with a little more gusto, noticing she had barely touched her food while the others' plates were already half empty.

A smile slowly began to spread across her face.

"I'm glad you like it," Higurashi-san answered, misinterpreting the reason behind her daughter's smile.

Well, she certainly wasn't going to gain any superpowers. But she could still train, couldn't she? While she knew she wouldn't become anywhere near as adept as Sango, who had trained for years upon years, Kagome felt confident that in three weeks, she could at least learn enough that the others wouldn't have to keep such a close eye on her.

Kagome is a wi-…Kagome is helpless. Kagome trains. Kagome becomes competent.

She even had a dojo in mind already.

Her smile grew a little bigger.

"Yeesh, sis, what's got you in such a cheery mood?"

"What's the good news?" her mother added, especially interested since she had seen how upset Kagome had been when she returned.

"Well…" Kagome paused as she considered how to say this so that her family would agree with her idea, but not freak out over how dangerous her trips to the Sengoku Jidai were. "I was thinking…"

**Thisisalinebreak**

"Oh, isn't that nice," Kasumi said as she read the letter in her hand, dropping all the others off on a kitchen counter. "Father?"

She poked her head into the living room, not batting an eye at the expected sight of Mr. Tendo playing a game with a giant panda. "Father."

"I still say that was a cheap move, Saotome-! Oh, Kasumi. What is it?"

His oldest daughter handed him the piece of paper in her hand. "Higurashi-san has sent us a letter asking if we would let Kagome-chan stay here for a while. She was sick the last few times we had a family get-together, but she's better now."

"Hmm…" Mr. Tendo scanned the paper, not noticing as the panda switched around one or two…or a few pieces on the board. "She also asks that we teach her daughter some martial arts to strengthen her in the hopes that it will help her pull through with all the illnesses she's been having. Poor girl."

"It would be delightful to have her over, father," Kasumi said. "It's been so long since we've seen her."

"Well…" Her father lifted his gaze for a moment. Oh, what the heck. He already had a full house, didn't he? One more wouldn't hurt. And Akane and Kagome had always been close, more like sisters than cousins despite their astoundingly polar personalities. Maybe his sweet, gentle, womanly niece would have a good influence on Akane…oh, the heavens be praised! "I will write a response saying that we would be happy to have her immediately! As soon as I finish this game…" He returned his attention to the board and the innocent-looking panda.

"_?!_"

**I hope you guys liked this chapter :) Next up: Kagome's Entrance and the Saotomes' Problem**

**The next update should be faster than this one because I already have plenty of ideas for the next chapter ^^ I can't wait to write it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well, this was a fast update :D At least faster than the last one, heh… Sorry, guys, but don't get too comfortable with five-day intervals. It'll probably take me one or two weeks on average for each chapter.**

**Anyway, on to review-answers:**

** tuatara – I see what you mean. I actually think I blew it up a little, too, in this story, but it was crucial to the plot and we all know how Kagome tends to take comments to heart and make a big deal out of them. I'm glad you're enjoying the story anyway, though :) Thanks for the balanced criticism; I love to read comments like that**

** Guest – Mmm, sorry to disappoint, but the vast majority of this story is going to take place in Nerima and have very little to do with the well, Sango, Miroku, or Shippo. Inuyasha will show up, of course, but this is going to be a pretty tame story; I don't have much experience writing Inuyasha or Ranma fanfics, and I wanted to start off slow.**

** ijpowers92 – There IS a surprising shortage, yes. I went routing through them and, I admit, got a little disgusted with how the connection between the animes is usually something about reincarnation or how Inuyasha drowned in the Jusenkyo spring that Ranma fell into. Hence the creation of this. It takes place sort of in the middle of Inuyasha, long before the final act, but long after the team has become established. Think episode 100 or something. I haven't gotten too far into the Ranma continuity, though, so the only characters you'll be seeing there are the ones from the first season and half of the second.**

**And Life Goes On, Chapter 3: Kagome's Arrival and the Tendos' Dinner**

Kasumi hummed a little as she set lunch on the table. Today was the Sunday that Kagome was set to arrive, and she was very happy to see her gentle cousin again. Despite the fact that Kagome was closer to Nabiki's age, the older girl had always gotten along with Kagome much better. The duo could often be seen playing with dolls and other toys as children and had shared many mornings and afternoons in the kitchen together as they grew into young ladies.

Kagome had also gotten along fabulously with Akane. Kasumi had had no idea how the two could be so close at first, but as she matured and became less of a self-centered child, Kasumi had seen what kept the girls together. They liked to balance each other out. Both had a sweet side, but Kagome seemed to be one of the few people who could get Akane to show it, and both had that spark of spunk and high-spiritedness, but Kagome tended to keep a tight leash on it unless Akane was around. There was even a certain amount of awe between them. Kagome had once confessed to Kasumi that she admired Akane's strength and martial arts skill while Akane admitted to an interested Kasumi that she liked Kagome's ability to solve any type of dispute and walk away as friends with everyone.

Nabiki, on the other hand, had never seemed to have a close relationship with Kagome. The two were cousinly towards each other and got along, but they weren't similar and they weren't opposite. They were just…different. Kasumi knew her sister and how interested she was in photography and a stable income. She also knew that Kagome's life revolved around schoolwork and a stable community. Honestly, and Kasumi sometimes felt this way, too, the only thing that kept the girls connected was the fact that they were family.

Footsteps sounded in the hall outside and Mr. Tendo stuck his head in through the door. "Kasumi, did you make extra in case Kagome gets here a little early?"

Kasumi couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Yes, father. I even made her favorite: oden. I hope you don't mind, father," she added apologetically. "I just wanted to make this a special meal since we haven't seen her in two years."

"Oden? In the fall?" he asked, rubbing his chin before shrugging. Kasumi was the cook after all.

"HYAH!" came a shout from outside the eating area.

_CRASH!_

"Hands off P-chan!"

"Squeee!"

"That little vigilante attacked me!"

"Oiee oink ee!"

"Well, he wouldn't if you weren't such a big meanie! It's okay, P-chan, baby, Akane's here, and she won't let the big, bad boy get you." A few seconds pause. "RANMA!"

"Hey! I wasn't doing anything!" the boy protested, coming in sight as he quickly ducked a swipe from Akane. Kasumi felt amused at the way he glared at the little piglet being hugged by the protective girl. She still had trouble believing a little pig could make Ranma so jealous.

"No, you were just CREEPING UP BEHIND US TRYING TO GET P-CHAN!"

"SQUEIE!" P-chan seemed to add for emphasis, almost appearing indignant.

Ranma had to act fast to dodge those next few hits.

"Ranma! Akane! It's lunchtime. Akane, would you mind getting Nabiki?"

"No need," the aforementioned girl said from the doorway, coming in to join them. Mr. Saotome and Mr. Tendo were already at the table.

"So, son," Mr. Saotome began as he helped himself to a large portion of Kasumi's delicious – if odd; what made her decide to make oden? – food, "how is your relationship with Akane coming along?"

Ranma choked on his food as Akane's back abruptly became straighter than a rod, a storm cloud covering her face.

"What the-no, I…wha…we're not-"

"WE'RE NOT AN ITEM!" Akane cut him off, nearly screaming it.

Mr. Saotome observed her as though he were observing a hunk of cheese – a hunk shaped in the form of a volcano ready to blow its top, because Akane did NOT appreciate being looked at like a prize – before turning back to his son. "Ranma, you still have a way to go." He sighed and closed his eyes, allowing Saotome Falls to start flowing again. "Ahh, you disappoint your father so much. How can I be expected to handle my son's failure in ch-"

"Father, I don't have time for fiancés right now!" Ranma declared, finally finding his voice. "And besides, I'd never want an uncute tomboy for one, anyway."

"Hyuuuh…" Akane steamed.

Mr. Tendo thought now would be a great time to intervene if he wanted the food to stay on a stationary, non-threatening table. Besides, he needed to tell them about Kagome's extended stay today.

"Akane! Nabiki, I have some wonderful news!"

Kasumi turned to him, surprised. "Father, you haven't told them yet?"

Akane and Nabiki turned towards their father immediately, although Nabiki looked largely disinterested, as always. "Kasumi knew?"

"Well, Kasumi was there when the letter came, and what with this recent Amazon nonsense, I felt that-"

But they didn't get to find out how Mr. Tendo had felt because at that moment, an incredibly cute, incredibly purple-haired girl landed on the veranda right in front of the pond with an incredibly subtle thump and a not-so-incredibly-subtle shout of, "_AIREN!"_

"Shampoo?!"

"Airen!" the Chinese Amazon girl proclaimed, immediately hugging her fidgeting and unwilling fiancé in a very snuggly manner.

"Xian-pu brought you lunch! Specially made just for you!"

"Uhh…" Ranma glanced quickly at the box Shampoo was holding out to him and then at the smoke coming out of Akane's ears. "I, uh, thanks, Shampoo, but…"

"Xian-pu should make all her airen's meals, yes? Taste good, better than meals here." As she said 'here,' Shampoo sent a glare in Akane's direction, clearly meaning 'better than HER meals.'

"What?!" Akane yelled, stomping her foot as she stood up.

But, as usual, Shampoo only paid attention to Ranma and, with a contented sigh, she leapt towards him, arms ready to grab him around the waist and cuddle up to him- "Ranma, my love! Do not run!"

"Ahh! Get away!" Ranma yelled back as he was chased around the table.

The Tendos and Mr. Saotome looked cautiously towards Akane as she ignored them, focusing entirely too much on the oden – oden? Why were they having that…? – in her bowl.

_DingDingDing_

Mr. Tendo straightened.

"I get! Be good wife!" Shampoo called, giving up her chase and running around to the door.

"Phew…" Ranma panted, having just enough time to look curiously at the food Shampoo had brought and reach for it before getting smashed in the head by Akane's empty bowl.

**Thisisalinebreak**

Kagome waited patiently in front of her cousins' house, suitcase in hand and backpack on her back. At least, she hoped it was still her cousins' house. No, her mother would have told her if they had moved in the past two years. Kagome felt her stomach twist a little at the thought.

Two years was a long time to be gone, at least for a teenager. And she was happy to be back, to get a chance to reconnect with her family, but she felt a little bit awkward. How much had changed? How much had they changed? How much had she changed? Quite a lot, she imagined. Traveling to different eras and fighting off demons and protecting a jewel would do that to you.

Footsteps sounded from behind the door.

Kagome forced herself to relax. _Nothing will be any different_, she reassured herself. _I may have been gone for a while, and things may have changed, but I still belong here-_

The door slid open and Kagome blinked at the unfamiliar girl who looked her up and down. She did not look pleased with what she saw and the miko leaned back a little as her eyes narrowed and a look of anger spread across the girl's face.

The door snapped shut.

The slight awkwardness Kagome had felt before suddenly grew until it was the size of a blimp.

She'd try one more time and then maybe ask where the Tendos had moved too…?

_DingDingDing_

It was silent for a moment, until the door broke down.

"AaaaaYAAAHH!"

"AAAAH!"

"Shampoo? Who was at the-"

"No, Shampoo, don't hurt her, it's Kagome!"

Kagome was too shocked to register the words of her family, instead only hearing the screeching, violent girl as she leapt at her.

"YOU NO GO NEAR **MY RANMA!"**

"Kagome!"

_WHAM!_

"Kagome, are you okay?"

The girl opened her eyes and twisted around for a moment, staring at the network of cracks that the girl's kick had given the wall behind her, before looking up at the person who had just managed to pull her out of the way.

"A…kane! Oh, I'm so happy to see you!"

"Kagome?" Nabiki asked, leaning against the wall. "So, Dad, was she the 'wonderful news?'"

Mr. Tendo coughed. "Yes, well, we finished the arrangements just yesterday. She will be staying with us for a few weeks. It is wonderful, isn't it?"

"HEY!" an enraged Akane suddenly shouted, breaking the hug she and Kagome had been sharing to point a finger at the ignorant Shampoo. "I'll tell you what's NOT wonderful! WHY'D YOU TRY TO KILL KAGOME?!"

The Amazon glared at the very pretty girl who stared back at her innocently, eyes wide. "She another girl coming for Ranma. Ranma is my airen!"

"Who is your what?" Kagome asked, utterly confused now.

"Shampoo," Kasumi cut in calmly as Akane spluttered for a moment, trying to get the image of her cousin and Ranma being, well…_together_ out of her head. "Kagome is our cousin. She has nothing to do with Ranma."

Now the Chinese girl looked wide-eyed and stared between her future husband, who was grimacing and rubbing his head for some reason, and the stranger. "Oh…"

"Yeah, OH!" Akane yelled back, incensed.

"Akane, calm down," Kagome interjected. "I'm sure it's all just a misunderstanding we can work out…" Her gaze went from Akane to Kasumi to Mr. Tendo and Nabiki, and then to the girl called 'Shampoo' who was looking fairly taken aback. A man she didn't know also stood among them, a little farther back than the rest.

"Oh, Kagome," Kasumi said cheerfully, coming forward to give her a brief hug. "It's great to have you here."

"Thanks, Kasumi," Kagome smiled at her. "It's great to be here and see you all again. You know, at first I was worried I had come to the wrong place and…" She paused as she saw the door that the purple-haired girl had ripped through. "Um…would you like me to help fix the door?"

"Don't worry about that," Kasumi answered, not batting an eye as she led Kagome around the house to the open veranda where the still-steaming meal was. "Just come in for lunch; I even made your favorite."

"Oden?"

Akane's head snapped up. "So that's why you made that! I should have guessed, especially when Dad said he had good news!"

"You mean he didn't tell you I was coming?" Kagome asked, sounding surprised.

Akane laughed lightly. "Kagome, he didn't tell us Ranma was coming until the moment before he showed up, and Ranma is supposed to be one of our fiancés!"

Kagome frowned. "Wait, isn't he supposed to be that girl's" – she pointed at the girl who had attacked her, and did not miss the stormy look on Akane's face – "um, ai-"

She was interrupted by the unfamiliar man she had seen standing behind the Tendos who was wearing a gi and a bandana as well as a pair of very round glasses.

"I'm sorry, son – you can't marry her."

Kagome's head swiveled around and her eyes met with the embarrassed and nervous blue ones of the boy he had been speaking to.

**Bah, I feel like the writing's mediocre, but my brain won't give me anything better, and I really would like to get this out there. It was hard to write about Akane, Shampoo, and Ranma, especially with them all in the same room, since the relationships between them fluctuate so much, but I think I did a decent job. Constructive criticism would be much appreciated though!**

**Give you all an update next week :) Muahahaha!**


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